The Paths of Peace
It was a sunny day within the village of Sunagakure, where Kisui is finishing up getting some groceries and heading home. But despite this sunny day, it all feeels dark to him. He felt his end coming, and Hagoromo did as well. It was perhaps this feeling that Kisui had that he knew he was going to die. He had dreams of it constantly over the past few weeks, and it continued to haunt him; A towering figure, with energy darker than the voids of space itself standing over him as he breathed his last breaths. Making his way back home, he noticed a letter on the table, no doubt sent in by the postmaster. Picking up the letter, he opens it and begins to read the contents. "Dear Kisui. I know that you possess the spirit of Hagoromo. I want to test your abilities, your path of peace, to see if it coexists with mine. If you wish to know more, meet me in Yamagakure. I expect your visit to be one of a turning point. Sincerely, Sigma Uchiha." Nodding, Kisui begins packing some supplies to make his way towards Yamagakure. "Hagoromo, if it is true, I might not be long for this world. Perhaps this Sigma may turn out to be a potential host for you. You've still got a goal to try and bring peace to the world, but what good would that do if you were inhabiting the body of the dead?" Sighing, Kisui is willing to accept his fate if it means there is something greater in store for the world. "Perhaps. But are you sure you're willing to do such a thing?" Hagoromo asks. He has always trusted Kisui to make the right decision, and while he doesn't doubt he'll do the same now, he still wonders if he'd still be able to make that decision. "I'm sure, Hagoromo. The path of peace is neverending. The people who follow that path die eventually, but the path is always there." Kisui replies. Grabbing his bag, Kisui teleports Yamagakure in a stream of rose petals, with the petals eventually reforming back into him as the teleportation is complete, finding himself at the gates of Yamagakure. Sitting a top a stone monument within Yamagakure, Sigma's long hair forcefully shifted left, by the heavy winds. His sat right on the right side of him, while his left hand was sitting under his chin. He recalled many things that had taken place, yet, he wanted only a few to make sense. However, aside from the sense, he wanted everything to be understood no matter what it took. His intentions were too much for his age, often leading others to believe he isn't the age he truly is. His good deeds, his capabilities, the list can go on. Yet, these things weren't what made Sigma. It was how he was a person, and what was deep down inside. A quick shift in the wind made Sigma sniff the air. Standing to his feet, he placed his fingers on the ground. "He's here..." Sigma stated as he vanished, then reappeared in front of Kisui who had barely been reforming into his full body from the petals. "I'm surprised you have come." "My end is nearing sooner and sooner with each passing day. The world is still a dark place and it needs protectors to carry on the torch of peace. Hagoromo still has a goal of seeing the world finally be at peace before he can finally be satisfied. But it turns out I will not be the one to carry on that peace. Like I said, my end is near. I have foreseen it." Sighing, Kisui feels the wind blowing over the horizon, looking towards the other side of the village. "If I am to die, Hagoromo will need a host who harbors the same sentiment of peace I have, one who will follow that path to the end. All great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame." Pushing his hair to the side, so that it would hopefully stay in one place. "Your end is near?" Sigma took a step forward, his intentions were unknown. It seemed all bleak to him, but there were a few things that stood out to him that came from the man's mouth. That word was "peace". "I don't know if out ideologies are the exactly the same, but I know I do what I can. That fire of peace is lit, and will always stay lit throughout my legacy and family. There are many causes that I am prepared to die for, but no causes that I am prepared to kill for." "Rest assured, you aren't the cause of my death. But all I can say for certain is it is near. I can sense you follow a long path, a peaceful path, and that you'll do anything to continue pursuing that path. I can respect that. Far too many people try to follow a path of power, or recognition, trying to get their name heard. But more often than not, it's the unsung heroes that pave the roads that the future treads on. I have been traveling the world for many years, saw many different things. But despite this, I've never seen the same thing twice. There is always something new going on in the world every day. If I were to die tomorrow, the people who do know me may mourn, but the world will continue to move on, and there will be people like you to continue carrying the torch of peace." Taking a slow breath, Kisui looks up at the sky, the midday sun glaring over above him and Sigma. "I'm not afraid, you know. Of dying. I never let that be a fear. I'd rather fear failing to protect those I trust, to have them die in my eyes even when I had the chance to save them. That's what always frightened me. But I think in this case, it's not the death I foresaw that frightens me, it's the figure. A figure who seems like the embodiment of darkness, itself. But this fate cannot be avoided, it seems. I will have to face up to it when that day comes." "It's true things come new everything, but you are forgetting that history continued to repeat itself. I can't face death, because of the things that have happened in during my birth. That isn't a good feeling. I'd rather die than be here for all eternity. Being able to watch the endless suffering for years to come won't be a good feat." Placing his hand into his pocket, Sigma watched Kisui. "I'm unsure your goal, or intent of passing the man. But I have a hexagram, philosopher's stone. With it, I can seal his essence. If that would help you." "Your goals of peace would be one of the things that would no doubt become one of the deciding factors of becoming Hagoromo's spiritual vessel. I always wondered why I was chosen as Hagoromo's reincarnation, but I guess he saw something in me that I didn't know I'd have. But now, it's time for a new mantle and for Hagoromo to choose someone new to carry on the torch." Kisui was always regarded as something as a wise individual, perhaps from two ancient souls inhabiting a young body. "I do not know what will become of the second spirit I have, one I always called the warrior. But he wanted to find peace in himself, and I feel he may perhaps do the same thing and find another host, or make his way towards the Pure Land. That is one thing I do not know. But whatever path he chooses, it's purely based on his decisions." With his gaze focused on the skies above, Sigma placed one hand on his hip and the other on his head to scratch it. "I'm sorry, but I have literally no idea of what you've just said." For those that didn't know, Sigma was quite the klutz, not the smartest when it came down to pure brain power, what he truly lack, was common sense. "I mean I understand that, but I'm asking. Why is it we are meeting?" "I've heard of the feats you were capable of, how the things you do are for the sanctity of peace and peace alone. I feel as though you are the one most worthy of being Hagoromo's next host. With him at your side, that mission will be much less burdening. I wouldn't say it would make it easier, because if there's anything that can't be made easier, it's peace. Regardless, I want you to be Hagoromo's host when I am to leave this world. I've looked around the world for that potential person, and there were a lot of individuals who showed potential, but didn't have that drive to help bring peace to the land. But you, I don't even have to sense your energies to know that you want peace more than anything, and maybe even anyone, else. When Hagoromo leaves my body, he'll know where to go by following the energy properties of the hexagram you possess. When I'm gone, you'll know." Looking down at the ground, Kisui gazes down at a flower beginning to bud. "We all have to go sometime, but always try to make an impact before you do. Let the world know that there was a person who did everything to change the world, even when it cost him his life. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? And the story I wrote, it was the best I ever had." Listening to the words flow from Kisui's mouth, Sigma became cross eyed. He looked at Kisui's reassuring himself that this man was indeed Kisui. "Kisui, your words are very very wise. Like extremely wise. We are all indeed just stories, and when someone grater than us comes by, we become fairy tales. Or worst. Myths. Fame only last for moments, but what you did during that game is what lasts forever. K'un is older than Hagoromo, so I've heard many great stories that became nothing but myths." Gasping for a breath of air, Sigma shifted to a different topic. "Peace is always something looked as a "myth". However, people don't understand that peace can indeed exist in a world with conflict. But that peace isn't what most think it is. That peace is known as inner peace." "Inner peace. I used to struggle with that concept for most of my life. I had seen the world in darker shades of hue than it really was in my youth. But what plagued me was not the world itself, but what happened was I was seeing the actions in the world. The political tensions, the assassinations, it all got to me. It took a single person to understand that even little changes in the world can make a big difference. I took that inspiration to heart. It's what got me through some of the darkest times in my life. It was my first step to inner peace. I paved that path one step at a time for fifteen years. How we begin that path is up to us. But the way we do it is largely the same; We have to keep paving our path, no matter what may step in front of us trying to stop it." Taking a slow breath, Kisui looks up to the sky with a smile. "I think the world will one day have that potential for everyone to look within themselves and finally discover that inner peace. They just need a push in the right direction. A guiding hand." "Luckily I had my mother to help me with inner peace. As a child, I didn't think much of the inner portion of the concept, all I knew was that peace was involved. Growing up in a family where both of your parents know nothing but peace.... And perversion, it's bound to be passed over to you." Sigma began to weep, placing his hands on his head. "You say you had trials and tribulations in your youth, yet you were able to overcome them, and still you don't belittle those who put you through those tough times. Despite forgiving them, I inow you haven't forgotten. But, you haven't forgotten to the point of revenge, and that much, I can respect. All I ask, of both you, and Hagoromo is; If you believe in peace. Believe in me." "Sigma, I believe in everyone who has the capacity to do the right thing. And I believe you are one of those people. And if you ask me, I believe Hagoromo believes the same thing as well. My father taught me never to hate those why try to step over me, but sympathize with them. Because there's something in their life, something tragic, that made them into what they are. They were shaped just as we were, but they were shaped to walk a different path. Good and evil may be the most opposite ends of the spectrum, but what made a person choose which path to undertake is largely the same; Something in their life changed them, for the better, or for the worst, and they chose to follow that path to the bitter end, hoping to get some kind of closure or satisfaction in the deeds they do. So when I see someone with absolute evil in their hearts, I do not bear anger over them, but grief and sympathy. Whatever made them that way was something too tragic for them to see the bright side of things, and that all they felt in their life was anger, misery, disconnection. And I believe, out of anything, an evil person can be changed, as long as you don't force them to change, but just help guide them to a better path slowly and steadily. I hope to try this some day. And, if it ends up killing me but I succeed, I can rest easy knowing I at least managed to help a person in the dark see the light." Letting out a chuckle, Kisui realizes he's kind of lost in his words and tries to get back on topic. "So Sigma, I do believe in you. You have the potential to do so many great things for this world. You can become the shining beacon of hope people look up to, someone that inspires many people around the world to join hands and discover the peace within them."